Mukesh Chawla joins cabinet as Excise, Taxation minister.
Minister Ali Malkani assumes Fisheries and Livestock portfolio.
Months after resigning, Babal Bhayo rejoins as Forests adviser.
KARACHI: The Sindh cabinet has witnessed a significant reshuffle as Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has allocated or reallocated several portfolios, including the appointment of three advisers to the CM and ten special assistants.
The provincial government issued a notification detailing the changes to the cabinet late on Friday.
Mukesh Chawla has been appointed the provincial minister for Excise, Taxation and Narcotics Control. The portfolio was previously held by Sharjeel Inam Memon, who has been relieved of the responsibility.
Memon, a senior minister, will continue as provincial minister of Information while also managing the Transport and Mass Transit portfolio.
Mohammad Ali Malkani, who previously held the Boards and Universities portfolio, has now been assigned the role of Minister for Fisheries and Livestock, a position previously held by Adviser to the CM Syed Najmi Alam. He will continue serving with the portfolio for Katchi Abadis.
Saeed Ghani and Jam Khan Shoro will continue as ministers for Local Government and Housing Town Planning and Irrigation, respectively.
Also, Minister Muhammad Bux Khan Mahar will continue to serve with the portfolios for Agriculture, Supply and Prices, Sports and Youth Affairs, and the Enquiries and Anti-Corruption Establishment.
Prominent PPP leader Allah Dino, also known as Babal Khan Bhayo, who had earlier resigned amid allegations of smuggling ammunition in Jacobabad, has rejoined the cabinet as the Chief Minister’s adviser. He has been entrusted with the Forests and Wildlife portfolio.
Bhayo resigned from his post in April this year after an alleged attempt was made to bring a large quantity of weapons from Balochistan to Jacobabad. In a statement issued on 20th April, Bhayo announced his resignation from his post “to allow a fair and transparent inquiry to be conducted” into the alleged arms smuggling attempt.
In his statement, Bhayo said he had requested the CM to accept his resignation immediately and begin an inquiry.
Ten special assistants to the Chief Minister have also been appointed to roles in the provincial cabinet.
Saleem Baloch will oversee the Public Health Engineering and Rural Development department. Saeed Ghani previously held the portfolio.
Abdul Jabbar Khan has been assigned the portfolio of Food, while Lal Chand Ukrani will take on the Minority Affairs’ portfolio.
The recent changes also saw Mohammad Bux Mahar lose the portfolio of the Bureau of Supply and Prices, which has been reassigned to Usman Hingoro.
Qasim Shah is tasked with Public-Private Partnerships and Investment, while Sarfaraz Rajar has been handed the portfolio for Social Protection.
Waqar Mehdi, the PPP’s provincial general secretary, has been appointed to head the Chief Minister’s Inspections, Enquiries, and Implementation Team (CMIE&IT).
Rajvir Singh has been appointed as Special Assistant with the portfolio for Human Rights, while Mansoor Shahani has received the portfolio for Student Affairs and Junaid Buland has been assigned the portfolio for the Sindh Technical Education and Vocational Training Authority (STEVTA).
Dost Ali Rahimoon, who previously served as Minister for Environment, Climate Change, and Coastal Development, has been made an adviser with the same portfolio.